This invention relates generally to a filter cigar and, more particularly, to a filtered large cigar having a circumferentially shaped preformed filter mated tightly with a tobacco filler charge, this union being reinforced by circumferentially wrapping reinforcement strip including layers of reinforcing tape and foil for extinguishing the cigar's flame prior to ignition of the filter over the interface between the filter and filler charge.
Filter cigarettes and cigars have been marketed in the tobacco industry for a number of years, however, attempts to incorporate such filters under the outer cigar wrapper have generally been limited to cigarettes and small cigars, i.e., cigars less than about 8 mm in diameter and less than about 110 mm in length. Filters have been used in conjunction with small and medium cigars by the incorporation of filters in thick mouth-pieces or plastic tips attached to one end of such cigars. Large cigars, i.e., cigars having a diameter of at least about 12 mm and a length of at least about 117 mm, due to their substantially larger size, are not readily adaptable for use in conjunction with such tips. The public acceptance of filtered cigarettes and smaller cigars has generated renewed interest in the incorporation of a filter on a large cigar and have lead to this invention.
Attempts in the past to incorporate a filter under the binder and wrapper of large cigars have proven commercially unsuccessful, principally because the physical bulk of such large cigars does not readily lend itself to use with a filter and often results in a separation between the filter and filler charge during use. Another concern has been ignition of the filter. Additionally, such attempts have generally produced a cigar which departed from the typical appearance of a large cigar and thus failed to attract a commercial following.
An example of such a prior art attempt to manufacture a filter cigar is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,381 which issued to M. S. Kayner on July 22, 1941 wherein filtering material was incorporated within the filler charge under the binder with an air space provided between the filter and the filter. The obvious disadvantage of such a cigar is that this air space substantially increased the possibility of the filter separating from the filler charge during use. U.S. Pat. No. 1,477,993 which issued to C. F. Bremer on Dec. 18, 1923 described a filter cigar wherein a filter mouthpiece was secured to the filler charge by a pin, all of which were then surrounded by a binder.
Preformed filters incorporated in the bunch of cigars were described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 972,428 which issued to F. Acker on Oct. 11, 1910 and 899,355 which issued to J. O. Therien on Sept. 22, 1908. In neither of these patents were means taught for reinforcing the filter and filler charge to prevent a potential separation of the two during use. Also Henri Wintermann of Holland has also marketed a small filter cigar under the Trademark "Cafe' Filtre" which too lacks the reinforcement strip of the present invention.
Other approaches to overcome this potential separation problem include the incorporation of a spirally wound filter in the cigar bunch rather than using a preformed filter. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 642,000 which issued to F. C. Reed on Jan. 23, 1900; and 3,165,106 which issued to C. E. Schon on Jan. 12, 1965. U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,839, which issued to N. R. Parlatore on Jan. 6, 1970, discloses apparatus for wrapping a tobacco band over the point of intersection between a plastic filter tip and the tobacco filler charge under the wrapper.
Heretofore, applicants are aware of no attempts to reinforce either a preformed or spirally wound filter and tobacco filler charge to prevent separation between the filter and the filler charge during eventual use, nor are applicants aware of any attempts to incorporate flame extinguishing means in such a reinforcement strip. The use of a metallic band on the exterior of a cigarette to render a cigarette "magnetic" was, however, taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,569 which issued to H. S. Williams on Mar. 5, 1940.
Against the foregoing background it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a filtered large cigar wherein a preformed filter and tobacco filler charge are butted tightly together and reinforced to provide the same outward appearance as a conventional non-filtered large cigar.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a filtered large cigar having a preformed filter and tobacco filler charge the union of which are reinforced by reinforcing means bonded to the binder and circumferentially wrapped over the interface between the filter and filler charge.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a filtered large cigar further including flame extinguishing means incorporated in said reinforcing means.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an economic and commercially acceptable filtered large cigar having the same outward appearance as nonfiltered large cigars.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a commercially acceptable filtered large cigar having a similar taste and texture as other large cigars.